Bondi dismisses confusion over Gabbard’s role in Georgia election raid, says 'we're inseparable'

WASHINGTON, DC: On Friday, February 6, Attorney General Pam Bondi pushed back against growing questions over Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's presence during an FBI raid on Georgia’s Fulton County election offices, dismissing concerns over conflicting explanations from the Trump administration.

Speaking at a Justice Department press conference, Bondi framed Gabbard’s involvement as routine coordination rather than political interference.

'We are inseparable', Bondi insists

Scrutiny has focused on a series of contradictory statements about why Gabbard traveled to Atlanta during the FBI search.

Initially, the Justice Department stated she was not involved in the investigation. Gabbard later told Congress that Donald Trump had directed her presence, while Trump subsequently said she was there at Bondi’s insistence.

The confusion came to a head when Bondi was directly asked to clarify the timeline and decision-making behind Gabbard’s involvement. She rejected any suggestion of inconsistency, instead highlighting her close working relationship with the intelligence chief.

“That’s interesting because DNI Gabbard and I are inseparable,” Bondi said. “We are constantly together. We constantly talk. We collaborate as a cabinet. We’re all extremely close, know what each other, what we’re doing at all times, pretty much, to keep not only our country safe but our world safe.”

Bondi confirmed that Gabbard was in Atlanta with FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey but declined to comment on details of the operation. 

“She was down there with Deputy Director Andrew Bailey of the FBI,” Bondi said. “I’m not going to talk about any other details of that matter right now because Georgia is a very important issue to us. She was there. We’re inseparable. That’s all I’ll say.”

Democrats see politics, not protocol

Democrats have expressed concern, arguing that Gabbard’s presence may signal political interference in a domestic criminal investigation tied to the 2020 election.

Sen Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused Gabbard of overstepping legal and institutional boundaries.

“She showed up at that domestic criminal investigation where she had no right to be there,” Warner said, criticizing her alleged role in facilitating a phone call between Trump and FBI agents working the case.

Gabbard addressed her presence in a letter.

Georgia's Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation into Tulsi Gabbard's presence. 

Earlier, Senator Raphael Warnock and Representatives Lucy McBath and Nikema Williams sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, questioning Gabbard's involvement and asking whether the Trump administration is pursuing a legitimate foreign intelligence connection, which would require immediate congressional briefing.